The Acute Liver Injury in Mice Caused by Nano-Anatase TiO2

Although it is known that nano-TiO₂ or other nanoparticles can induce liver toxicities, the mechanisms and the molecular pathogenesis are still unclear. In this study, nano-anatase TiO₂ (5 nm) was injected into the abdominal cavity of ICR mice for consecutive 14 days, and the inflammatory responses of liver of mice was investigated. The results showed the obvious titanium accumulation in liver DNA, histopathological changes and hepatocytes apoptosis of mice liver, and the liver function damaged by higher doses nano-anatase TiO₂. The real-time quantitative RT-PCR and ELISA analyses showed that nano-anatase TiO₂ can significantly alter the mRNA and protein expressions of several inflammatory cytokines, including nucleic factor-κB, macrophage migration inhibitory factor, tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-6, interleukin-1β, cross-reaction protein, interleukin-4, and interleukin-10. Our results also implied that the inflammatory responses and liver injury may be involved in nano-anatase TiO₂-induced liver toxicity.     

Caged mice mating behavior detection in surveillance videos

The purpose of this study is to develop a computer vision-based method to automatically detect the mating behavior of caged mice in surveillance videos. Previously we took advantage of our developed algorithm and analyzed the objects of mating mice in the consecutive frames, we unprecedentedly showed that, to the best of our knowledge, the mice mating behavior can be automatically detected based on video processing (Lo et al., 2009 [13]). In this paper, we proposed an improved method which monitors the distance between two mating objects and more effectively detects the mating behavior. In addition, a more detailed portrayal of the mating behavior can be further elaborated as a function of the distance patterns in the tails of two caged mice. Experimental results show that the current system can effectively detect the mice mating behavior with the highest precision rate of 96.1%, far better than that of our previously proposed method.     

抗氧化营养素对小鼠免疫功能的调节作用

为研究不同剂量的抗氧化营养素联用对免疫功能正常小鼠的细胞免疫调节作用,每天给小鼠补充硒1μg、β-胡萝卜素0.1mg、VE0.24mg、VC1.2mg。结果显示,小鼠的淋巴细胞转化功能显著增强,脾细胞对IL-2的反应活性增强以及提高了NK细胞活性。但超过一定的剂量范围(硒5μg、β-胡萝卜素0.5mg、VE1.2mg、VC6.0mg)则表现出明显的免疫抑制作用(P<0.01),表明抗氧化营养素有双向的免疫调节作用。研究还发现硒、β-胡萝卜素、VE\,VC联用在一定剂量范围内具有抗免疫抑制剂(环磷酰胺)的作用,刺激免疫功能低下的小鼠脾细胞产生IL-2,增强淋巴细胞的转化功能,提高NK细胞活性,恢复受抑制的淋巴细胞产生IL-2的能力。     

~(60)Coγ射线整体照射对小鼠肠系膜淋巴结淋巴细胞在体内原发移行的影响

本文用~(51)Cr 标记细胞方法,研究了经~(60)Coγ射线整体照射后小鼠肠系膜淋巴结(MLN)淋巴细胞在同系受体小鼠体内的原发移行。结果表明,供体小鼠经0.5—4Gy~(60)Coγ射线整体照射后,其 MLN 淋巴细胞在同系正常受体体内的原发移行有很大改变。在4Gy 照射组,受体肝脏的标记细胞显著增多;脾脏的标记细胞量在各剂量组均无显著性改变 MLN、肺、回肠的标记细胞量分别在0.5Gy、1Gy、1Gy 照射后开始出现显著性降低。     

Acute effects of Aspergillus versicolor aerosols on murine airways

Mice were exposed to aerosols from Aspergillus versicolor extract by inhalation (for 15-20 min). Changes in respiratory function parameters were monitored during the exposure to evaluate acute effects on the upper and lower respiratory tracts and the conductive airways. The single inhalation exposure to A. versicolor aerosols at the range of 12-151 mg/m3 provoked upper respiratory tract irritation in the airways of mice. The higher the exposure concentration the higher was the increase in the sensory irritation (SI) response. No bronchoconstriction or pulmonary irritation was observed. The causative agents for the SI response in the fungal extract are not known.     

Pectin Penta-Oligogalacturonide Suppresses Intestinal Bile Acids Absorption and Downregulates the FXR-FGF15 Axis in High-Cholesterol Fed Mice

Haw pectin penta‐oligogalacturonide (HPPS), purified from the hydrolysates of haw pectin, has important role in decreasing hepatic cholesterol accumulation and promoting bile acids (BA) excretion in the feces of mice fed a high‐cholesterol diet (HCD). However, the mechanism is not clear. This study aims to investigate the effects of HPPS on BA reabsorption in ileum and biosynthesis in liver of mice. Results showed that HPPS increased fecal BA output by approximately 110%, but decreased ileal BA and the total BA pool size by approximately 47 and 36%, respectively, compared to HCD. Studies of molecular mechanism revealed that HPPS significantly decreased the mRNA and protein levels of farnesoid X receptor (FXR) in the small intestine of mice and inactivated the fibroblast growth factor 15 (FXR‐FGF15) axis, which increased the mRNA and protein levels of CYP7A1 by approximately 204 and 104%, respectively, compared to HCD. Interestingly, the mRNA and protein levels of apical sodium‐dependent bile acid transporter (ASBT) in the small intestine were approximately 128 and 73% higher in HPPS‐fed mice than those in HCD‐fed mice, respectively. However, no significant difference was detected for ASBT expression between HCD group and BA sequestrant cholestyramine group. These findings indicate that HPPS can suppress intestinal BA reabsorption and promoting hepatic BA biosynthesis. We speculated that HPPS could be ASBT competitive inhibitor rather than BA sequestrant in inhibiting BA reabsorption in ileum and improving cholesterol metabolism.     

脂质体与胶束体儿茶素对动物血清血脂的影响

本文探讨了脂质体和胶束体结合形式的儿茶素,经灌胃或静脉注射后对小白鼠血清血脂含量的影响。结果表明:无论是采用灌胃或静脉注射方法,儿茶素均有明显降低高脂血症小白鼠血清总胆固醇（TC）、甘油三酯（TG）、低密度脂蛋白（LDL-C）、升高高密度脂蛋白（HDL-C）的作用;脂质体儿茶素的作用效果略好于胶束体儿茶素（p<0.05）;胶束体儿茶素显著好于对照组（对照2组）（p<0.05）;静脉注射组的效果明显好于灌胃组（p<0.05）。     

自然感染鼠痘的小鼠肝脾内病毒超微结构的观察

应用自然感染鼠痘存档5年蜡块转制超薄切片，在电镜下观察发现鼠痘病毒的复制部位是在肝脾细胞浆的基质区和包涵体的周围。此部位有大量不同发育阶段的病毒颗粒。未成熟病毒颗粒可分为球状颗粒和含有拟核的球状颗粒。成熟病毒颗粒的典型形态呈年椭圆形，外被双层囊膜，中心含有哑铃形核心，核心两侧各有一个测体。本实验结果证实应用存档蜡块转制超薄切片，可成功地应用于鼠痘感染及追溯性鼠痘病原和传染源的电镜诊断。并在电镜下证实光镜下A、B型包涵体及免疫酶组化病毒抗原的阳性部位与鼠痘病毒生物合成和装配的部位是一致的。     

Ameliorative effects of melatonin and zinc oxide nanoparticles treatment against adverse effects of busulfan induced infertility in male albino mice

Testicular damage is one of the most hazardous effects as it’s associated with azoospermia. Busulfan (Bu) is a highly toxic chemotherapeutic drug that affects testis. Thirty male Swiss albino mice divided into six groups of 5 animals each. Control (oral 0.9% saline daily for 75 days); Mel (20 mg/kg/day orally for 30 days); ZnO NPs (5 mg/kg/day i.p. for 30 days); BU (single i.p. injection of 40 mg/kg and then left for 45 days); BU + Mel (single 40 mg/kg dose of BU and left for 45 days followed by 20 mg/kg/day Mel for 30 days); BU + ZnO NPs (single dose of 40 mg/kg of BU and left for 45 days, then 5 mg/kg/day ZnO NPs for 30 days). Preparation and Characterization of ZnO NPs. Specimens from testis prepared for ultrastructural investigations using TEM after Masson’s trichrome and toluidine blue staining. BU induced histological and ultrastructural damage of the testis. Moreover, the present results could be concluded that Mel or ZnO NPs can protect the testicular tissue against ultrastructural alterations induced by BU by its antioxidant and anti-apoptotic effects.     

小鼠便秘模型的建立

为研究保健食品的润肠通便功能,针对保健食品润肠通便功能试验的要求,用１０ｍｇ／ｋｇ ＢＷ的复方地芬诺酯建立了稳定的小鼠便秘模型,模型组与对照组在首粒黑便排便时间、６ｈ内排便粒数及排便重量间均有显性差异（Ｐ〈０．０５）。多次重复实验表明,该模型稳定可靠,建议在保健食品润肠通便功能检测中对其进行验证。